Lawmakers will consider a bill to add table games, and a sixth casino in Prince George's County, most likely at the National Harbor Resort.

The governor says the session is designed to "resolve the issue" of expanded gambling.

O'Malley says lawmakers will consider the issue of a sixth casino in Prince George's County.

He says the state will realize $100-million in funding for schools.

Senate President Mike Miller says the session will take "two or three days."

House Speaker Michael Busch would not say if he has the 71 votes needed to pass this bill.

O'Malley's announcement today follows weeks of closed door meetings with leaders of the House of Delegates, in an effort to build support for the legislation.

Since voters must approve any gambling expansion, gambling supporters, including Senate President Mike Miller wanted lawmakers to approve a bill during the regular session. The Senate approved a bill, but the House did not.

Miller has said that if lawmakers had waited until their regular session in January, voters wouldn't consider the bill until 2014.

The governor had formed a work group to come up with legislation.

The panel finished its work last month without making a recommendation, after delegates on the panel objected to plans to lower the tax rate on some casinos.

Now that issue is off the table.

The CEO of MGM Resorts International told the Baltimore Sun that his company is no longer seeking a tax break in order to build the National Harbor Casino.

"We do not want to sucked into the tax debate. We have been sucked into a debate we have no role in being in," James Murren told the newspaper.

"We just want to know what the rules are, and we want to be here."

The state's current tax rate on casinos is 67%. Governor O'Malley said today that the bill that will be presented to lawmakers will not lower the tax rate. The governor pointed out that the tax issue may be considered by lawmakers, or an independent commission next year.

Murren did tell the newspaper that the state's tax rate on the casino and table games would affect the size of the investment it would make in the National Harbor site.

The special session, and the tax breaks for casino operators have been the focus of a series of radio and television commercials aired by opponents of the National Harbor casino. The ads point out that lawmakers have already raised income taxes on individuals earning more than $100,000, and it would be unfair.

Murren told the newspaper that the message behind those ads were effective, and influenced a number of lawmakers.

The National Harbor location still faces opposition from Baltimore City delegates, and from Anne Arundel County delegates who fear it would take business away from the Baltimore City and Arundel Mills casinos.

Miller and Busch both say that the bill would protect casino revenues for Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, Cecil County, Worcester County and Allegany Counties, where the state's existing casinos are located.

The formal bill was not introduced today.

O'Malley says the bill would be unveiled as soon as next week.

House Republican leaders criticized the special session plans.

House Minority Leader Tony O'Donnell and House Minority Whip Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio issued the following statement:

ôWe regret the GovernorÆs decision to hold a Special Session on gambling. As we have said before, the harrowing pressure cooker of a get-it-done-quick special session is not the place to debate an issue as complex as the expansion of gaming in Maryland. There will be little to no time for public comment, and as we saw in the closed-door meetings of the gaming workgroup, transparency will be nonexistent. Moreover, the image of Democratic leaders flanked by organized labor and Las Vegas gambling interest should be chilling to anyone who believes in honest and open government. This Special Session may serve the interests of the GovernorÆs national aspirations and his new special friends, but it does not serve the interests of the citizens of Maryland.ö